Thanks for visiting, LashPair, we miss you already!
 

Hey, howd you do that?

And I didn't even get a tim tam!!

My cheese is sad. :(

:( ditto, x1000

Crap! That's what I get for being busy! I missed it, I thought they were going to be here next week........

Shoot!!!!

:mad:

I was glad I got the chance to meet the 'Pair in person at MA. Hope you guys enjoyed yourselves!

Lashes-- you will be missed! We had some great times together and I'm looking forward to more adventures with you both in the future! :cheers:

Well I didn't get to meet either of you but I sure enjoyed reading about the adventures. :)

Ya'll come back soon now.

Missed what? Here? Wait, the Lashes were here?

I am very glad I was able to spend so much time with both of you. I can't wait to see you 2 again!!

Don't you guys start me cryin'.... I'm over-emotional as is.

Then you'd better not call me back, then. :(

have a safe flight out tomorrow and make sure you and Stoat check in that you are safe & sound back in Oz.

Visible Morrigoon PSD mojo!

Just ask NM - he keeps track of their whereabouts

Tonight, my cheese is very sad. :(

I never wanted to stop hugging them for a minute. :(

Lash and Stoat - please have a safe journey back to your other home. Today begins the countdown to when we're all together again - already a day closer.

*hugs*

I really only got to meet you this evening, and the pleasure was all mine!

Until we meet again.....((((Hugs)))!!!

The lashpair do give super good hugs....... ARGH when are you planning your next trip out here?!!

This bear is sad.

What an absolute delight to have yet again been enveloped in the unbridled joy those two brought with them from down under! Next time in Australia!

sniff - 'til we meet again mates - Love ya

I've gotten accustomed to having Bear and Stoat here, even if part of the time I was way North whilst they were frolicking in churros. I'm going to miss you both terribly, but I am sooooooo glad to have gotten to spend as much time with you as I did! Anytime you need a PNW pad to crash, you will always be welcome here, and we are very serious about visiting your home turf next year, so fair warning!:cheers:

Hugs and much love to you both.

PS- My sis Vicki loved meeting you both, and will give me a head's up when a certain project is released. (Should be anytime).

I'm vey sad that tonight was our last evening together for a while but I feel very blessed that we were able to have so vey many incredible adventures together. It was a complete joy. I love you both lots and can't wait until we can pick up where we left off with more wonderful adventures.

Have a safe trip home!

Very sad parting tonight, but what a joy it was getting to spend another evening with you both! (Well, and with everybody!)

And you both give lovely hugs!

Rose and I are holding onto the memories of our last hugs!

You shall be missed tremendously-we reluctantly send you back but you carry lots of love from us.

-at least that does not need to be packed.

Safe journey-we WILL see you again soon!

I'll miss you guys, and you never got closer to me than the approach pattern to PDX!

I got a text that they were in HI at about 2:30. I'm sure they've left US soil by now. :(

It was lovely visiting with both of you. I hope it's not too long until the next time!:cheers:

I say, stay in Austrailila!! But, sorry, we're going to have to relocate the whole continent to 5 miles off the OC coast!

Thank you for the Peeps and CHEER! My birthday became perfect because of you both.

Until next time!

I'm so glad I finally got the chance to meet you both! Perhaps I will finally make it to Australia one day...

I miss 'em!

We miss you guys so very much. It's hard to spend so much time with people without creating bonds that are so firm that it's like pulling teeth out when you have to separate.

Toothless we remain currently, but we look forward to a full set of dentures in a couple of years time.

Oh, looks like the PNW wisdom teeth might be coming through sooner than that !!

I wish I (and we) could give you all one long last lingering BearHug, because you guys made this the best trip EVER. It'll be hard to top it.

I missed you all together. I wasn't paying attention and missed it. :(

Hopefully, I'll have another chance....

Wait... The Lashpair were in town? Why didn't anyone tell me?






































(Still hasn't gotten old yet. :evil: )

Cause you're The Gay. We just don't care for that kind of people.

Dearest All,

I cannot adequately express my gratitude for this USA experience. It spanned four of the States, temperatures ranging from 105f to below 32f, altitudes from 0 to 6000+ feet, sore feets, amazing feets, but above all Happy Feets.

We met/walked/climbed/laughed/drove/slept (!)/rode/ate and laundered (yes, we are very clean bears that do not wear our knickers four different ways) with so many of you I dare not list your names for fear of omission (or exposure for that matter).

We took 5,600+ digital images (that’s two DVD’s worth) and a bucket of video footage. When the dust settles (ie when I get over the 24 hour’ish transit and the associated jet lag), I’ll try to compile a series of images and simple narrative to show you what we did…it’ll be like an Indiana Jones movie right down to the big gold lid thingy falling from space onto the pretty box. Least ways that’s how my body feels currently.

So thanks again for the incredible adventure, and I have no doubt our path will lead us back to your shores (not forgetting Hawaii – thanks heaps Brad).

Love and hugs,

The Stoat XXX.

Miss you, Stoat. I was loading pics tonight and when I saw you and Lash I got a little bit sad.

*ponders how to fast-forward the clock*

Sorry I couldn't spend more time with you, but I did enjoy the brief time. Hopefully I will be able to hang out more the next go round. :)

Miss you both very much. Look forward to the pics and videos. Too bad we can't time travel or move time forward lol...

Geez... Its about time they finally left. The smell was getting to be a bit much.



















:sniff: I miss our Lashes

That's you, Kevy...

Did you know you can drive on 4 different freeways with tears streaming down your face? I think my car had autopilot saturday morning :(

Two years isn't that long...I keep telling Missy that (she's not buying it either!)

Thanks for sharing your amazing holiday with all of us.

HEY!! You said no crying !! (Didn't stop us, either...)

Only 878 days to go. (Talk about a Long-Bye-Bye ! :eek: )

hey Lashbear

it was nice to see you on my arrival day . Sorry for me being like a Zombie that night . Not its way better .

let me know when you're coming to Europe we can try to plan a meet .

Looks like Europe isn't till 2013 ! :eek:

When's Japan?

2015 ? - OOh, I'll turn 50 then. I'd like to have my 50th in Japan. :cool:

My photos from the last day's meet can be found here.

Where's your countdown timer? Come on, chop-chop mister!

I highlighted the "r" so you didn't forget to pronounce it. ;)

I was looking at pics from Golden Gate Park, I still miss the LashPair.

Has the LoT Invades Australia thread started yet? ;)

We're waiting for Nirvanaman to start it

Nope, but I bought a few travel books about Australia.

If I ever make it to Australia, it is going to be hard for me not to visit the Outback to visit the natural home of Bearded Dragons (for those who don't know, we have six of them).

And did you know that the first Bearded Dragons that our Australian friends ever saw was right here in the USA? It was on their last visit a few years ago - brought one down to them the day before they left.

Why avoid it?

Time most likely. It would take a major chunk of a day to accomplish it and I will probably only have a week to experience the Land Down Under.

I hate when I am practical.

How is that practical? What would you rather see than the Outback? Sydney, check, Reef, check...

I would totally set aside a day for the Outback. Why not see it, especially if you've got a personal interest in the wildlife? You know you'd kick yourself for the rest of your life.

A day?

Australia is HUGE! We're looking at a maximum of 10 days in Oz and the Great Barrier Reef and the large rain forest area of the North are not really an option. I don't think it is an easy drive to get to the outback habitat from Sydney.

Ah, guys, you're not going to see the outback in a day from Sydney.

You could fly there in a charter plane, spend an hour and come back, I suppose.

Set aside at least 3 days if you want to do it.

My mistake....I hadn't looked into it yet. :)

Mind you, there are a lot of good tours available to the outback - if anyone wants to go all Priscilla and see the red centre...

http://www.outbackspirittours.com.au/

Only if the bus has a giant shoe on top!

Exactly Austrailia is HUGE. Sorry but when Bon Jovi toured there they played different parts and those who went to multiple shows had to FLY over to the other side to see them play. It's not an easy drive like things out here are. Besides when i go to Austraila it will be on my time only. Not when everyone decides to go as awhole group or plan things. Vacation to me is that a vacation. Not fitting in everything just because.

Well, that's true. It must be huge, because it's certainly one of the larger displays inside It's a Small World.

It also seems quite large in "Rescuers: Down Under".

:)

Naw, it's not that it's that big, it's just that they haven't invented roads down under yet.

I thought it was because the cars fell off the roads since the roads are upside down in Oz.

I think a group trip to Oz would be cool. We can all stay with the LashPair. It will be like NYE for a week! hehe.

If I ever make it down there, group or not, I'm going cage diving with great whites. And visiting with some other friends I have down there as well. I think they live near Melbourne.

On my "Bucket List" is to drive from Melbourne to Perth. (3,424 km)

Along the way you pass by the Cafe that Skylab fell on, the worlds longest stretch of straight road and the antipodes to my home in Maryland.



(Technically, the antopode is in the ocean, but the farthest land you can stand on relative to my home is along the drive).

If i ever get to Austrailia i'm going to make the visit for a variety of reasons thus including seeing a band in concert who shall be nameless. Plus i have a whole list of places and things i want to see and do. I love going somewhere with no agenda for the most part and just winging it rather than having things planned and trying to cram everything in.

And yes it is that big Austraila that is. Trust me. Bon Jovi fans know they all had to travel by plane to get from one place to another to see the band when they toured Australia. It wasn't just easy to get to like it is here (anaheim and los angeles).

What's easy about driving from Anaheim to Los Angeles?

Nothing other than the fact we can get from Anaheim to Los Angeles rather easily without having to hop a plane to get there unlike cities i Australia. ....lol just trying to make a point since i'm told that Australia isn't that big (Oh yes it is).

MMG, next time someone tells you Australia isn't very large tell them Australia is about the size of the continental United States. source.

They also have six states and two territories. More info here.



Given the size of Australia, it would seem logical that the fastest way to different states, and from one side of the country/continent/island to the other is by plane.

"Everything I learned about geography I learned from Bon Jovi." ;)


Hey, did you guys know Australia was a CONTINENT?

Does that mean that when you fly to Australia, you become incontinent?

I'm still confused. "If I ever go to Australia, I don't plan on building time into my schedule to do the one thing I really want to do there." Doesn't make sense to me, why wouldn't you plan it so that you DO have enough time to do what you want?

Pfft, shows what you know! How can Australia be as big as the United States if Australia only has six states? The US has 50 states and several territories. So clearly, the US is eight and a third times as big as Australia.

Sheesh, do the math lady...!

If you are replying to me:

1. You really need to get a hobby if you are still thinking about this
2. But thank you for thinking of me
3. My initial thought process was such that I wasn't sure if I wanted to dedicate an entire day to see a big ol' honkin desert. Especially if it means I wouldn't see a whole shyteload of other sites down under. For example, a whole day would HAVE to be dedicated to the Barrier Reef - that is MUCH more important to me than the Outback
4. I don't have anything for #4

If you are NOT replying to me:

1. Ignore this post

Are you new? I don't do math! ;) :p

Yeah "everything i learned i learned from Bon Jovi" yup.....lol and i know it's a continent i just couldn't find the right words when i posted.

Most definitely need a plane to travel from one end to another while visiting or even living in Australia unlike the states.


"when the world gets in my way, i say....HAVE A NICE DAY!!!!"

I know you SoCal'ers have a somewhat focused view of the Nation, but I still don't think you can call LA to Anaheim one end to the other. LA to New York City is one end to the other, and like crossing Australia I think a plane would in fact be best.

Damn rental car "relocation fee". It would cost about $4,000 US to rent A 4WD car for my trip.

I might just have to buy one in Melbourne and sell it in Perth. Humm, that could add to the fun....

That's what most backpackers etc. do.

You can sell your 4WD quick (and buy one too) at www.carsales.com.au

That's what I'm trying to say.

I miss Yosemite, so I made a Peppermint Patty using Hot milk, chocolate syrup, and peppermint essence. Not quite the same, but it took me back for long enough to get all sentimental.

...I'm a nostalgic guy.

Yes! The Trip is back on, perhaps!

It turns out you Aussies have an Auto Train that goes from Perth to Sydney.

So, if I change the driving trip to go from Sydney, to Melbourne to Perth (via Port Lincoln, Esperance, Albany, and Dunsborough - 5,167KM) and take the auto train back to Sydney so I can pick up and drop off the car at the same spot we are right as rain. Plus I get the added bonus of the train trip across Australia.

The car rental (AWD Wagon with unlimited miles :) )will be about $1,000 the train $700, plus flights, lodging and the like makes this a real possibility.

I'm going to peg this for Summer of '11 - Winter in Australia temps in the 40-50's F. It's all good.

Woo Hoo !! A couple of tips:

Pack lots of water.

Have a GPS. If the rental doesn't have one, feel free to use ours. It's got a map good for the entire country.

Practise eating wombat, possum and koala. I can send vegemite to help you adjust.

lots of water. CHECK

Have a GPS. CHECK

Practise eating:
wombat - Best in a stew
possum - Burgers
koala - Deep Fried.
Check!

vegemite? - That's it. The trips off.

I did some initial budgeting, I was worried about gas prices given that we are planning to drive the equivalent of D.C. to Los Angeles to San Francisco to Las Vegas, but I ran the numbers and they were not that bad. Then I figured out the gas cost I was using was per liter not per gallon :eek:

Oh oh! Cool!

Britz!

Britz Vans are great.

Pfft, I don't even think you guys were even IN the U.S. a few months ago.


Ok, I have no memory left. But PROVE IT.



With photographic evidence.



(hint, hint)